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Ella looks at me and nods. “I love a girl with a plan.”
I smile at her. “Hey, let’s hurry up so we have time to get a dollar slice before my dad comes.”
“Yes! And here’s an idea: let’s get our hands super greasy, come back here, and touch the white sofa,” she says, cackling.
“No way, they’ll probably make me pay for the cleaning,” I say.
The chime of the doorbell rings through the entire house.
Mrs. Choi isn’t here and Hee-Jin has been gone all weekend. I want to believe it’s because the Sky High Convention is next week and she’s at the office working on last-minute details. But I also can’t help but feel like she’s avoiding me.
When I agreed with my dad that I wouldn’t accept any help from Chairman Lee, it just made the most sense for me to leave the internship a couple weeks early. I wasn’t sure this was the right move, but Dad assured me that I should head back to California. That way, I could stay out of sight and hopefully, out of mind, to the powers that be. It all sounded ominous. But Dad said he’d take care of everything, including last-minute flights back to Cerritos. That’s how I know how serious he is about this. He wants me home, far away from Haneul Corporation.
My one regret is not getting to experience the Sky High Convention. I’ll have to imagine the winners of the hackathon being announced and their game title being shared with the thousands of attendees. If it’s still happening, at least. I’m sure Elijah and Jason and the other interns will be there to see it.
I was forced to leave all my work in limbo. But from the very beginning, I knew I would be the one to lose everything if this plan imploded. And I did. I’ve lost the respect of everyone who works at Haneul. I lied my way into a role that wasn’t mine. I lied to everyone I got to know this summer.
And that’s on me.
I open the door and standing there is Sunny Cho, my assistant.
“Hi, Jessica.” Her smile is polite but not warm. Uncomfortable. “I brought your personal items from the office. You didn’t have much, just some favorite pens and a few other things.”
“Thank you,” I say as I grab the small, almost-empty bag of my personal effects. I always thought to bring more stuff, a picture of my family or one of my dog. But I knew any sign of my life could be looked into and my real identity discovered. So I never did. “I appreciate you coming by.”
I expect her to leave, but she remains in the doorway, looking awkward.
“Do you want to come in for a drink or a snack or something?” I ask.
Her face twists to an even more uncomfortable expression. Shoot, this isn’t my house, and what’s in that kitchen isn’t mine to offer.
“I actually need to get going. But is your father here?”
“My father? No, he’ll be here a little later to pick me up and take me to the airport,” I explain.
“Oh, okay, so he will be here later? That’s good then. I, uh, have these letters here from Human Resources. One is for you and the other is for your father.”
My skin goes cold and my heart stops. I know what a letter from Human Resources means, especially one personally delivered.Thank you for your service. Your job with us has been terminatedis my guess.
I take the letters from Sunny and bow for some reason.
She awkwardly bows back and stiffly turns to walk away.
“Hey, Sunny,” I call out. She looks at me over her shoulder, paused halfway down the stoop. “Thank you for everything this summer. I’m sorry I lied to you. I hope I didn’t put you in a difficult position—which is silly because of course I probably did, for you, for everyone.”
“Honestly, Jessica? It was a pleasure working for you. I know you’re gonna make it big somewhere, someday. I’m rooting for you.” And with that, she smiles and goes on her way.
I close the door.
“Who was it?” Ella asks.
“It was my assistant—my former assistant,” I correct myself.
“I can’t believe you had an assistant,” Ella says.
“Yeah, me neither. I mean, it’s not like I was supposed to have one.”
“She probably had a better summer working for you than she would’ve for Elijah or anyone else. And I see you worrying, but she won’t be in trouble. She didn’t know the truth.”
